ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Provenance: Club Secretary Mary Seay donated a portion of this collection in 1995. Additional materials were donated by Jeanne A. Jernigan on behalf of the book club in 2003, by Eleanor Cox in 2007, and Nancy Gideon in 2008.

Access/Restrictions: There are no restrictions on use of this collection for research purposes. The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Processed by: Brian Wilson and Martha A. Egan processed portions of this collection in 1994 and 2003. Jeff A. Jenson reprocessed the collection and developed the finding aid in May 2006. Brianne Johnson made revisions to the finding aid in May 2008.

COLLECTION CITATION
This collection should be cited as:

Kingsport Book Club Collection, 1921-Ongoing. KC Manuscript Collection 87, Archives of the City of Kingsport, Tennessee.

BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL NOTE
As of 2006, the Kingsport Book Club was the oldest existing women’s organization in Kingsport, Tennessee. The club was started in 1919 by Mrs. S.P. Platt, Mrs. H.J. Shivell, Mrs. Geo. McNaughton, Mrs. L.A. Dashiell, and Mrs. Karl Koeniger. These women sought to create a group where they could read and then discuss literature. During the 1920s, the Book Club’s members helped form the Kingsport Public Library with a donation of 6000 books. Prior to the city taking responsibility for funding the library, the club would raise money by holding benefits, parties, and projects. These efforts helped build the library collection, maintain the building, and fund a portion of the librarian’s wage.

Information obtained from the collection.

SCOPE AND CONTENT
The Kingsport Book Club collection consists primarily of minutes, yearbooks, scrapbooks, bank statements, and some photographs. Minutes are fairly inclusive from 1921 through 1992. Yearbooks provide lists of members and leaders, the organization’s constitution, and yearly programs. The large scrapbook contains clippings, photographs, and a variety of historical information about group activities and the Kingsport Public Library.

The collection is arranged into four series as follows: Series I, Administrative/Financial Records, 1949-2006, Box 1; Series II, Minutes, 1921-2006, Boxes 2-3; Series III, Yearbooks, 1925-2010, Box 4; and Series IV, Scrapbooks, 1927-2001, Box 5.

Series I contains financial records, by-laws, correspondence, photographs, and book reports. The series is arranged alphabetically by subject.

Series II, Minutes, 1921-2006, Boxes 2-3.

Series II contains minutes of the book club meetings. The series is arranged chronologically.

Series III, Yearbooks, 1925-2010, Box 4.

Series III contains yearbooks form the book club. The yearbooks provide membership information as well as yearly programs. There are two copies of each yearbook except for 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2008-09. The 2007-08 yearbook is missing from the collection.

Series IV, Scrapbooks, 1927-2001, Box 5.

Series IV consist of a scrapbook contain clippings, photographs, and general information on the club and the Kingsport Public Library.
BOX AND FOLDER LIST